


The Wildness in our Souls and the Duty in our Hearts

by nightmarethoughts



Category: Video Blogging RPF, Youtube RPF, Youtubers, jacksepticeye, markiplier - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Angst, Arranged Marriage, Bears, Clans, F/M, Fluff, Gen, M/M, MOUNTAIN LIONS, Markiplier - Freeform, Maybe - Freeform, Septiplier - Freeform, Septiplier AWAY!, Shifter AU, Slow Burn, Wolves, animal!au, crown prince felix kjellberg, hopefully this will be a full blown story, jacksepticeye - Freeform, king mark fischbach, lord san mcloughlin, more about that later, no more like, not sure what you would call this, pewdiepie - Freeform, selkie!au, various other youtubers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-10
Updated: 2017-08-08
Packaged: 2018-09-23 06:52:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,416
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9645173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nightmarethoughts/pseuds/nightmarethoughts
Summary: The powers over the forest are split among the three great powers, the Wolves, the Bears and the Mountain Lions. When the delicate treaty is suddenly broken, the forest is plunged into a chaotic filled time of battle and war. The leaders of the clans are desperate enough to try anything to end this and bring peace back to the forest, even resorting back to ancient, long abandoned traditions, like arranged marriages. Yet will it be enough to save the forest? How far will the leaders go to bring back peace?"Look, I know you don't want to be in this situation, let alone with me. If there was any other way to do this I would. Would you please just trust me, for the greater good of your people and mine?""Get the hell away from me. I'd rather die than be trapped here with....with you."





	1. In the beginning

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ever septiplier fanfic, yay! Let's see how this turns out. 
> 
> Okay so in the universe everyone is a shapeshifter, but probably not in the way you're thinking. Their powers are based around those of a selkie, from Irish lore. They can turn from a certain animal (ie: wolf) into a human, and are left with the pelt of the animal. The only way for them to turn back to animal form is if they are wearing the pelt, so most people wear their pelts as a cloak. 
> 
> Hopefully all of this will make more sense as we go on so, without further ado, here you go!

“Long ago, there was the great Cernunnos. He was born of the sea and of the earth, springing forth to life from whence there was none. But, the great god soon grew lonely being the only being in an empty world, and so he shaped every manner of beast from the mud where he emerged to give him company. However, that was still not enough. So the great Cernunnos took the strongest, bravest, and cleverest from those of every beast and gave them a form like unto his own. However to ensure that they never forgot about their brothers, their wild kin from where they came, Cernunnos gave them a special gift.” 

The raspy and cracked voice paused, the only noise that could be heard was the crackling of the fire. The chair underneath groaned and creaked, sounding exactly as his bones felt, as he slowly pushed himself to his feet. The old man made his way over to the bed in the corner of the room, where a small figure lay still, the fur blanket moving ever so slightly up and down with the tiny breaths of the child. A small smile split the man's face, cracking wrinkles upon the time- worn surface of his skin. 

“A gift that you, my child, possess. Just as your fathers and forefathers before you. Sleep well, and grow into the great person you are meant to be.”

The child slept on, unaware of the war being waged just across the road.

***

“Silence you fools!” 

The snarling voice echoed throughout the room, bringing the heated discussions to a silent halt. 

“No progress is being made, we still are squabbling over the same petty issues as before, while ignoring the real problem.” 

“And what is that?” cried a different voice from the crowd that was quickly shushed down.

The man who has first spoke was now the center of attention stalking back and forth in front of the mass of people. Somehow it seemed that wherever he walked, the gold band encircling his head was glinting and prominent in the light. His posture was held high and his strides were long and fluid, subtly showing his superiority. “Our cliffs are growing increasingly sparse in food and prey, if we are to thrive then you need to give us a mile of each of your respective territory bordering ours.” 

Howls of outrage roared from the crowd as everyone voiced their disbelief. People began shouting and yelling at the man, who’s lip curled up into a silent snarl. 

“How dare you insult-” a man yelled, pushing his way through the crowd, fury scrawled across his face. He crouched, as if to pounce on the royal, but another man burst through the crowd right after and wrapped an arm around the snarling mans waist. 

“Dan! Stop this, it won’t help!” Arin cried, holding the struggling man back. “I know we need to protect what is ours but this isn’t the way to go about it."

Dan stop trying to attack for the moment, and was simply glaring daggers at the man while breathing heavily. He allowed Arin to gently lead him back to where they began a deep discussion. 

“This is too much to ask of us, you have overstepped your boundaries.” came a deep voice, the broad shouldered man emerging from the crowd. He gave of an air of strength and everyone paused for a moment to listen to him. “We have lived in harmony for the past hundred years, each staying to our own. Do you dare push that balance and put us at risk for another great war?” 

“We need that land to keep the balance! Clearly this is a sign from the Great Cernunnos that we need to expand.” the pacing man responded. 

The bearded man growled deep in his throat, “Don’t you dare pretend to understand the workings of Cernunnos, he is far greater than your mind could comprehend.” 

The man only curled his lip up at that. “Don’t pretend like you understand Cernunnos either, Kenneth.” the hostility was dripping from his voice. 

Ken didn’t say a word, just turned back into the crowd. The man continued pacing in front of the virulent crowd, his people gathering protectively in front of him. Finally, after many fights nearly breaking out in the crowd and much loud debating, Ken side by side with Dan and Arin emerged to the front of the crowd. 

Arin stepped forward and spoke first, authority ringing through his voice, “The Scáth Wolf Pack of the North refuses your offer.”

Ken stepped forward, his deep voice echoing loudly throughout the quiet room, “The Láidier Bear Clan of the East refuses your offer as well.” 

The man freezes, his spine arching back in a sign of aggression. “You will regret wronging the Mountain Lions and refusing what is rightfully ours.” he snarls, teeth bared. The man reaches into his pelt cloak and withdraws a long dagger, holding it high above his head. “You wish for us to fend for ourselves, then we shall. Mark this is the day when the Sacred Alliance was broken.” he plunged the dagger deep into the tapestry behind him, depicting the joined emblems of the Wolves, the Bear and the Mountain Lions.  
Then he strode out of the room, clearing a path through the hostile crowd through the sheer power if his aura, his people close behind. All anyone could do was watch as the peace they had worked so hard for was destroyed in the wake of matter of moments.   
And they only knew one thing for certain, life would ever be the same as it was before. 

***

Ten Years Later

 

The two men shook hands solemnly. 

“Do I have your word on peace and safety?”  
“You do.”  
“We can only hope for the best now.”  
“All we can do is hope.”

***  
A blonde haired man let out a heavy sigh as he sat upon the wooden throne, distress and anxiety emanating from his form. He turned towards the two men standing on either side of him. 

“Dan? Arin? Do you think we are doing the right thing? I hate to force this upon anyone.”

Dan turned towards him and bowed slightly, “Your hig-...Felix. We are doing the best we can for the people. Although this isn’t the most ideal option, it's the best one we have.” 

Arin spoke up, “I know that this might seem unfair, but we do need to think about the best interests of the pack. If the Bears uphold their end of the agreement, we may have a chance of restoring some peace and order.”

Felix shook his head, “But an arranged marriage? Those haven’t been done for decades. It seems so unnatural and forced. Will it really help to unite us? The alliance seemed to work just fine without the inter marriages.”

Dan spoke again,“Well sir, you see where we ended up with the alliance, clearly it didn’t work. And besides, maybe bringing back that old tradition will remind everyone of our better past and try to make the present better to.” 

Felix nodded slowly, staring off into nothing, “I really hope you are right about this. I only hope the poor soul understands this as well…its for the good of the people.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Now its time for the man of the hour, the one you've all been waiting for...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! Sorry i didn't update as soon as a said I would. Something came up and now most of my afternoons are booked so i have hardly any free time at all. I will try to write as much as I can, and if i'm slacking feel free to get on my back about it.
> 
> Patience is a virtue children, more people are coming soon but only to those who wait.
> 
> So how'd you like it so far? Did I write Jackaboy all right? Please, please let me know in the comments. I don't know if you guys realize but it really makes my day when I see those comments. It makes me happy to know that I'm making someone else happy. Thank you to everyone who has commented and left me kudos so far!
> 
> Thank you for at_the_moment for your comment, I do like it when I get things like that so I can make this all the more enjoyable for you guys. So here is a list of everyone (or at least the people I will be revealing at the time and I will add an updated list if things change) and their clans/rank:
> 
> Bears: Mark/Markiplier- King/Ruler  
> Ken/CinnamonToastKen-Head of the Parliament  
> Wade/Lordminon777-Member of Parliament  
> Bob/muyskerm-Member of Parliament
> 
> Wolves: Crown Prince: Felix/Pewdiepie  
> Dan/GameGrumps-Royal Advisor  
> Arin/GameGrumps-Royal Advisor  
> Jack/Jacksepticeye-Lord 
> 
> Mountain Lions: (okay actually I don't know who to make the ML king/queen, so if you guys could suggest some ideas that would be great!! haha i'm so bad at planning ahead)
> 
> Anyway, I hope you liked it and I will see you...IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!  
> (Mo

The droning buzz of cicadas filled the air, only adding to the lazy atmosphere of heat. The temperature was not unbearable, but it was definitely hotter than anyone would have liked. The sun beat down, making the trees seem almost washed out in the bright sunlight. A form lounged up in the branches of one of these trees, his legs dangling haphazardly over the edge. He held a book in his hands, trying to force himself to read, but he just couldn’t do it. It was as if his entire body was refusing to function, must less read, probably in protest of the heat. Jack let out a heavy sigh, sagging against the branch and letting his head drop down. He lay there for a minute, not wanting to move or do anything, but the bark was beginning to dig uncomfortably into his back, so with another long-suffering sigh, he slowly pushed himself up into a sitting position. He grabbed his cloak from where he had been using it as a sort of pillow, and tied it securely around his waist, and tucked the book in the waistline. Then, in a one fluid motion, Jack leapt down from the tree, landing effortlessly onto the ground.  
He stretched and arched his back, trying to get rid of the residual soreness from sitting in the tree for so long. Finally, he collapsed in the shade of the tree and relaxed, slowly running his fingers contentedly through the soft grass. The temperature was quite nice in the shade, a soft breeze starting to blow through his hair. Jack contemplated continuing reading for a very brief split second, but banished it just as quick as it came. He was far to comfortable to even do anything. So he sat there until he lost all track of time, watching the clouds flutter lazily by, the sunlight dancing through the leaves, and listening to the sounds of the forest. His thoughts were everywhere and nowhere at the same time, thinking of anything that sprang forth from the very depths of his mind and forgetting them entirely the next instant. Eventually, he stretched, groaning as he did so, and settled with his arms cushioning his head. Slowly, Jack’s eyes began to close as he drifted off softly into sleep. 

Jack was brought back to his senses by the feeling of something warm and wet dripping down the side of his face. Without opening his eyes, he reached up and tried to wipe it away, but it clung to his hand and smeared even worse, only making it more uncomfortable. He propped himself up and opened his eyes, to see the form of a large wolf standing directly over him, mouth open in a low snarl. The wolf’s razor sharp teeth glinted in the sunlight, dripping saliva all down Jack’s face. A growl was tumbling deep in the wolf's throat and his deadly maw was right in front of Jack’s face. It’s eyes were a pale shade of grey, so much so that it almost appeared to be blue, but they glinted with a deadly intelligence. The wolf’s breath was hot and heavy on his face, as it drew closer and closer to him… 

“Shove off,” Jack snorted, shoving at the side of the wolf's face. The wolf let out an overexaggerated whine and stumbled off him, falling to the ground with a dramatic thump. Jack crouched down to where the wolf lay sprawled, limbs skewed and mouth splayed open comically. 

“You’re a colossal idiot, ” he said, rolling his eyes but chuckling nonetheless. The wolf gave a long huff before pulling itself to its feet, giving a long, vigorous shake. 

"Watch it!” Jack cried, raising his hands up defensively, By the time he lowered his hands again, the large wolf that had been there moments before was now replaced by a man, his blonde hair askew and blue eyes glinting playfully, and completely naked except for the pelt draped around his shoulders. 

“Oy!” Jack exclaimed, his hands flying up yet again. “Felix, Give a man a little warning next time! Jesus!”

“What? I just want to head back.”

“Yeah well, I’m not walking all the way back into town with the naked prince.” 

Felix made a little meh meh meh sound, but complied nonetheless. Jack looked again, this time with a sigh of relief, “There you go, much better.” Felix gave him a dirty look, or as close as a wolf could get to giving a dirty look. Jack set off towards the path, starting to hum under his breath as he walked. Felix ran up behind him and headbutted his knees. 

Jack stumbled and cursed, “You’re a right pain in the arse Fe ,didja know that?” Felix only bowed down, his hindquarters thrust up in the air as his tail swished excitedly back and forth.  
“What now?” Jack said. Felix trotted up to him, and tugged at the edge of his cloak. “No Fe, I’m not going to change right now.” The wolf’s ears dropped and he gave Jack a pleading look.  
“Don’t look at me that way! These are the only clothes I brought and I don’t feel like walking home naked to get some more.” Jack replied, setting off down the path again. Felix bounded up ahead of him, tail and nose stuck straight up in the air, pointedly ignoring him. Jack just rolled his eyes and started whistling tunelessly, purposely hitting high notes justified see felix’s ears twitch with irritation. Eventually they both got tired of that charade and Felix began looking around, sniffing and chasing every little thing. Jack smiled a little at that, his friends childish energy always was refreshing to be around, and Felix was always bursting with it, despite the fact he was a year older than Jack. 

They finally reached the castle and pushed openly the ornately carved wooden doors. They set down the hallway, side by side, and jack absentmindedly petted Felix’s head. Felix pushed open the door to his room, and trotted inside, Jack following close behind. He saw Felix’s tail disappear around the corner to where the connecting closet was, and threw himself onto the extravagant bed in the center of the room. The deep navy overhang and curtains were practically glowing in the sun from the window, and the bed felt impossibly soft and comfortable underneath him. He lay there, lounging and reveling in the comfort, when suddenly someone launched themselves at him. Jack let out a gasp as the air got knocked out of him, and was forced upright. Felix, still using the momentum from his jump, hooked an arm around jack's neck and flipped him down. Jack, a grin now growing across his face, swept Felix’s legs out from under him, and he collapsed next to jack with an oof. Jack jumped on top of him and they started wrestling. Luckily the bed was so overly big that they were able to tumble around with falling off. That is, until Felix hit jack in the side and they both kept on rolling right off the edge and onto the ground. There they sat, both collapsed on each other and laughed until they were breathless. 

Felix propped himself up and wiped at the tears lingering in his eyes, managing to gasp out, “alright, alright, I do have to get back to the throne room, dan and arin are gonna kill me.” He stood up, brushing at his clothes as if to get rid of the wrinkles, but to no avail. He offered a hand out to jack and pulled the younger man to his feet. Jack pushed his sweaty hair out of his face, and a smile lit up his face, his cheeks pink with exertion. 

“Fine, I wouldn't want to be the one to keep you from your kingly duties. M’lord.” Jack said with a mocking bow. 

Felix snorted at that, but straightened his back and assumed a haughty expression, “Actually it's Your Highness the Crown Prince Kjellberg of the The Scáth Wolf Pack of the North to you.” 

Jack rolled his eyes and mock bowed again, “forgive me your highness. But I suppose that makes me Lord Sean of the Noble House of McLoughlin to you then.” And so they headed off, playfully bickering about titles. When they arrived in the throne room, Dan and Arin who were clearly deep in a heated discussion stopped and looked at them. Jack immediately felt uncomfortable, like he had walked into something he wasn't supposed to be in. 

“Felix, there you are. There are some pressing matters we need to discuss.” Arin said as they both strode forward. Jack unconsciously took a step following Felix, but Dan gently grabbed his shoulder and steered him towards the door. 

“Sorry Jack, but this meeting is of a private matter. Felix won't be able to join you for a while.” Jack cast a forlorn look over his shoulder, meeting the eye of Felix, but Felix only gave a helpless shrug as if to say, “what can you do” Dan gave him an apologetic look before closing the door. Loud, frantic talking began immediately and jack couldn't help but eavesdrop.

“-there's no one willing to do it your highness. No families we've talked to have offered any of their children.”

Jack could hear the stressful sigh that Felix gave, “I-I don't know what you can do. The Mountain Lion and Bear attacks are getting worse every day and he people are scared and demand order. I don't have the time or energy to deal with this right now and neither do you. Can you delegate someone else to find a candidate?” 

“As you wish my lord.” 

Suddenly, Jack could feel internally and his wolf pricked up its ears. There were footsteps heading down the hall, a guard judging by the sound. He quickly ducked away from the throne room doors and strode towards the front of the castle, letting out huff of annoyance under his breath. Why was that so urgent they needed him out right at this moment? Everyone knew there was a war going on. He shrugged it off and started down the path to home. 

***

Jack lay sprawled across his bed in the darkness, waiting for the lights downstairs to go out. The only thing lighting up his room was the pale beams of moonlight entering through his open window. He had been dying to go out hunting, but his overprotective parents wouldn't allow him out hunting without an escort, and unfortunately they were terrible at hunting as well as being stealthy. They were worried with all the attacks but jack knew he could take care of himself, but they wouldn't listen. He could hear the familiar noise of his parents getting ready to go to bed, but tonight they seemed to be taking an especially long time. He could hear the murmur of their voices downstairs, before finally, finally the last light went out.. 

He sprang up from his bed, poised on his feet for their talking to die down. It felt like an eternity but they fell silent. Jack grabbed his cloak off the bed and slung it around his shoulders. He started running towards the open window and in one swift jump, dove straight out of it. He hit the ground as a wolf, silently, and took off sprinting.  
Was it over dramatic and not at all necessary to do that little charade? Of course, but little things like that made him feel confident and self assured. It felt great to stretch his muscles, his feet flying as he sprinted through the forest. The earthy scent of the forest mixed with the crisp, fresh night air filled his lungs and invigorated him. The wind rippled through his fur, sending playful shivers up his spine. The smell of rabbit suddenly wafted across and he skid to a stop. He paused for a moment, tail swishing back and forth hopefully as he checked to make sure that it wasn't a shifter, his ears pricking up in happiness when he realized it wasn't. Nose to the the ground and mouth slightly open, he set off after the trail. A flash of brown in the moonlight caught his eye and he froze, seeing the rabbit sniffing and scratching around. 

He lowered himself down against the ground, silently creeping under the shadows of the trees. His muscles were poised and ready to pounce at any second, ears upright and tail low against the ground. The wind still brushed along his spine, so he was downwind of it. Now he was close enough to hear its little breathing and small heart pounding. Perfect. In one fluid motion, he sprang from the shadows, paws aimed directly towards the rabbit. It froze, terrified, before bolting off. Jack took off racing after it, close on its heels. He forced his legs to move faster and faster, matching every hairpin turn the rabbit made. His wolf was nearly barking with joy, the adrenaline and thrill of the hunt coursing through his veins made him feel powerful and ecstatic. Bunching his muscles back, jack launched himself forward. His paws landed on either side of the rabbit, and he scooped the rabbit up in his mouth. It squeaked and began to struggle, but he quickly clamped his deadly jaws shut and shook his head violently back and forth till it lay still and unmoving. 

He dropped it with a thud to the forest floor, and he and his wolf in unison, both full of pride, turned a bloodstained muzzle towards the sky and let out a howl. It started deep in his chest and burst free, seeming to echo throughout the entire forest. As it died down, jack gave his pelt a happy shake and his tail started wagging back and forth, pleased with the hunt. He was about to take a mouthful of his prey, when suddenly the a strange smell flooded his senses. His head bolted upright and his ears were up and alert, trying to sense where this new creature was from, but it was too late. A form burst from the underbrush behind him and slammed against his shoulder. He went flying and slammed against the ground, barely holding back a yelp as he slid through the underbrush. He heard the swish of fur in the air and managed to pull himself to his feet just as the strange wolf launched itself at him, and batted it aside with a powerful smash of his paws. It hit the ground and spun around, but he could see it's back legs buckle from the impact. He leapt forward, clamping his jaw on the wolf's hind leg. Immediately it began to lose its balance and while it frantically scrambled to stay upright, jack bit hard along its back until he tasted blood. The wolf yelped and scrambled back. Jack let out a low growl and darted forward, leaving another nasty bite on its side. He prepared to strike again, but this time to wolf was ready for him, it reared up on its hind legs and he had no choice but to do so too or risk falling underneath it. Their paws interlocked and grappled, jack trying to dig his claws anywhere he could. With a loud snarl it snapped at him and he bite back a whine as pain flared up right underneath his ear where it's teeth hit. He latched his jaws around the other wolf's muzzle, about to bite down but the it twisted to the side, forcing him to lurch to avoid losing his balance. They snapped at each other for a bit longer, each getting in some nasty hits on each other until blood flowed freely down their necks. Jack grew tired of this charade and lunged forward, biting deep into the wolf's shoulder. They both toppled, but jack never let go. The other wolf squirmed and whimpered, biting and clawing anywhere he could, but jack kept his vice like bite through the wounds being inflicted down his body. The wolf grew desperate and lunges for his throat, tearing jack's teeth deeper into its wound, and jack was forced to lunge backward. Seeing that he had an opportunity to change the playing ground, Jack sprinted towards the clearing, turning and skidding through the dirt and facing towards where he had sent the other wolf tumbling. In the few precious moment she had, he inhaled deeply, analyzing the scent as best he could, because it had been far from his mind in the heat of the fight. The scent definitely wasn't one he recognized, and bore no scent of the Scáth. That meant this wolf had to be a lone one, which was rare but not unheard of. But why would this wolf be attacking him? However, there was the underlying scent of mountain lion… The wolf leapt back into the clearing, drawing jack's attention away from his rapid thoughts. Jack immediacy dropped into a crouch, ears flattened against his skull and hackles raised as he let out a low growl. The other wolf's mouth twitches in the barest hint of a snarl, and it began slowly pacing towards him. His glaring eyes met the wolfs and a new scent reached his nose, making him pause for a moment. This wolf was less dominant than him. Jack mentally berated himself for not noticing this before. He began stalking forward, raising his head higher with every step as the power began to roll off of him. He could feel the weaning will power of the other wolf as he exerted his dominance. The wolf tried to keep its head high and eye contact, but eventually it's body betrayed it. It's legs began and buckle and it slid to the ground with a low whimper. With a ferocious snarl, jack leapt atop the other wolf, slamming it into the ground. He dug his claws deep into the other wolf's back. Leaning down, he grasped the back of its neck, tightening his jaws while growling deep in his throat. A new scent flooded his nose and suddenly a boot caught his ribs and sent him flying. Jack yelped and the other wolf was forced from his jaws. He heard a strange sound, like a quick puff of air, and suddenly there was a stinging pain in the side of his neck. His mind barely had time to register “dart!” Before he was skidding into the ground. He could feel it working immediately, heaviness flooding throughout his body. He struggled to move, but it was too late, he couldn't feel anything anymore. Just as he lost the battle to keep his eyes open, an unfamiliar, stony face filled his vision, and then he collapsed back into unconsciousness.


	3. A Stone Castle for a Stone Man

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys I'm so sorry for being gone so long. I was forced into an after school job that literally took up all my time, like work, homework and then sleep. The only good thing is that it gave me plenty of time to write out the next five chapters mentally. So sorry, but in the few moments of time i had I managed to type this out. Hope you enjoy it!

The crackle of fire echoed around the stone chamber, sounding nearly deafening in the heavy silence. Nothing made any movement, even the lone figure sat upon the throne. He could have been carved from stone, for there was nothing to indicate he was even alive except for the faint rise and fall of his chest. He simply sat there, staring unmoving at the double doors at the far end of the chamber. In fact, everything seemed to be waiting, almost as if everything was holding its breath. The banners on the wall were still, there was no movement of people scurrying back and forth. The silence didn’t help with the tense waiting, it seemed to make it worse in fact. 

Suddenly, a door off to the side of the throne slowly creaked open. A man cautiously made his way over in front of the king, wincing with every scuff of his shoes that rang throughout the chamber. The king’s nose twitched ever so slightly, the man in front of him was radiating the scent of sweat and fear, clearly scared that he would mess up in front of him. The servant dropped to one knee, nearly shaking, and bowed his head.

“M’lord,” he muttered to his feet. He glanced up at the king, who gave him a single nod, and relief washed over the man’s features. He took that as a sign to go on, and continued.   
“It’s the wolves my liege, they are nearly here.” Mark tried to stop the flash of anxiety and dread that flitted across his face, but judging by the concerned, curious look the servant on the ground gave him, he didn’t do a very good job at concealing his slip up. He mentally cursed himself for the momentary weakness, forcing his face back into stony indifference. 

“Thank you.” Mark said with a gracious nod towards the man. The man was practically beaming now at this show of approval. “You are dismissed.”

Scrambling to his feet, the man bowed again, before hurrying towards the door again. As soon as he heard the door shut, Mark closed his eyes and let out a shuddering breath. Everything was happening so quickly, everything was changing faster than he ever would have liked. No. He needed to be strong, especially now. Mark gave his head a shake, hardening his features before turning his gaze back at the door. Now the chamber appeared exactly as it did before, but the tension in the air had increased by tenfold. The silence was heavy and suffocating, somehow feeding the anticipation that lay heavy over everything. Moments began to stretch, seeming long and endless as he waited for what would change his life forever to walk in through that door. The waiting was unbearable, his mind was hoping for it to come already, just so he wouldn’t have to suffer through this awful waiting. But at the same time his mind was begging that it would just stop altogether and he wouldn’t have to worry about any of this anymore. This wasn’t his life, it was never meant to be.

Now the tension in the air was so thick it felt as though it could be cut with a knife, like a blanket that lay suffocating through the chamber. It felt almost, as if it had reached its peak when the doors he had been listlessly staring at creaked open. A burst of fresh air gusted into the room, carrying with it the wild smell of the earth and the forest. The banners on the wall fluttered in the sudden breeze, and the torches sputtered and danced. Mark’s hair ruffled ever so slightly and the familiar scent of the outdoors settled his nerves, but only for an achingly brief moment. Silhouetted against the night sky were two figures, both contrastingly different in size. One was tall and large, the other thin and lanky. His mind immediately tried to guess which figure was “the one.” The shapes of the people were rather gender ambiguous, although Mark had not requested a specific sex. His nerves were jittery, he felt almost sick to his stomach. Who was it? Who was it? Who was it? 

Finally, after seeming like an eternity, the thin one strode forward, features becoming illuminated by the flickering light of the torches. So this one was in fact male, was he to be Mark’s betrothed? Something seemed off about the man, and it wasn’t just the white Columbina mask that adorned his face, although it was unnerving. 

Maybe it was the way the torches cast eerie shadows across the lines of his face, or the way his posture was curved, almost like he was ready to throw a knife and run. Maybe it was the confidence with which he walked, not the fake, overcompensating kind, the kind with which someone who knew they had earned their place walked. Maybe it was his smile, stretched wide and friendly across his face, but somehow Mark couldn’t shake the feeling it didn’t quite reach his eyes under that mask.The man approached the throne where Mark was sat and bowed low, one hand splayed across his chest and the other extended beside him.

“Your highness,” he said graciously. He exuded an air of power and authority, almost as if Mark was the one to walk into his throne room. There was a moment of silence, he expected the man to speak but he did not utter anything further. 

“Are you the ambassadors of the Scáth Wolves?” he asked.

A smile split the man’s features, but did not reach his eyes, “Yes my lord, and your betrothed as well.” 

Relief washed through him that this man wasn’t the one, this man just seemed...wrong. That did mean that the other hulking figure in the doorway was his betrothed however.

“I am Ní Fíor, and this is Brutus.” Ní Fíor beckoned the man behind him forward. As he stepped into the light, it took all Mark had to keep his lip from curling up in disdain. The man was massive, with bulging muscles and a brutish face, his neck and face bearing bruises and cuts from a fight, and his clothes were those of a peasant, dirty ones at that. Mark knew that he shouldn’t be one to judge, but he had hoped that he’d garnered enough respect from the wolves to at least send someone of nobility. His panic began welling up again as he thought of having to spend time with this man. He tried to tell himself not to judge appearances, maybe this man was the kindest person he’d ever meet. But Mark just couldn’t muster the heart behind it. However, his attention was soon brought upon the bundle Brutus was clutching. It must be a gift from the wolves, which was unnecessary but a nice gesture nonetheless. 

Ní Fíor cleared his throat and spoke, his voice ringing with authority and echoing throughout the chamber, “And this, King Fischbach, is your betrothed. May I present Lord Seán of the Noble House of McLoughlin, of the Scáth Wolf Pack of the North.” Brutus lowered his massive arms, revealing what was in the pelt-bundle in his arms. As soon as Mark glimpsed what was there, shock coursed through him and he couldn’t keep the surprise off of his face. The pelt slid down, revealing pale, bare shoulders, thin arms draped over the enormous ones that were cradling him bridal style. His eyes were closed, face strangely serene as he unconsciously curled his head against Brutus. The man, who he supposed had to be Seán, small stature was dwarfed even more by the enormity of the man holding him.

A small surge of protectiveness flared up inside of Mark for this man he’d never even met before. He looked so fragile that he wanted to scoop him out of Brutus’s arms, for fear the thuggish man would break him. But the strangeness of this all soon overtook him and suspicion took hold of his heart, what game was this strange wolf playing…? Mark narrowed his eyes, the intense stare falling upon Ní Fíor. 

“What in the name of Smertrius is going on here? What are you playing at Wolf?” He growled, as he leaned forward, muscled tensed and ready to spring forward and defend himself if need be. The man in the mask dropped his gaze to the ground, shrinking his posture slightly. Mark could have sworn he saw the man shake in fear for a moment.   
“Forgive me my lord, this scene is probably rather...strange.” he said, his voice somehow getting more oily.

“Understatement I’d say.” Mark scoffed. 

“But please sir, allow me to explain.” Mark was sure that nothing could explain this, but he nodded his consent anyway. “You see, Seán here was quite understandably very, very anxious, this was just such a big change for him. He was so distressed that he requested to be given some claiming medicine for the journey, but unfortunately, due to his small stature and ah, weak internal systems, the dose was too much and affected him far more than it was supposed to. Seán here was knocked out, but please do not worry he is perfectly fine.” Relief flooded Mark’s system. Apparently there was something that could explain this. He sympathized with Lord Seán, he had his fair share of anxiety and anxiety calming medicines. 

“Are you sure he is fine? Medically induced unconsciousness can be dangerous…” Mark said. 

“Oh yes, he is perfectly fine, really. He should wake up within the next four to five hours. But again, I regret to say that since he reacted so poorly to the medicine he may exhibit some side effects.” Ní Fíor said.

“...Side effects?” Mark said hesitantly. 

“Nothing permanent of course. He may have some aggression, and temporary memory loss. He might not remember the events of the past week or so, so he will be quite confused and drowsy as well. These side effects shouldn’t last more than two to three days, he will be quite back to normal soon. Unfortunate though, really. I apologize that this has to be our exchange.” 

Mark relaxed back into his chair, his shoulder blades heavy against the wood. “No, no, please don’t apologize. Although these circumstances are not the best, it isn’t your fault. Sometimes Alaunus has different plans in store for us then what we have planned.” 

That knife slash of a smile was back across the ambassador's face. “Thank you for your understanding my lord.” Unease slithered up and down his spine, this man gave Mark the creeps. He forced a smile onto his face, surely one that looked as fake as the one plastered onto Ní Fíor’s face. Cocking a finger forward, two guards that had been lurking off in the shadow of the side door, came forward. 

“Here, allow my guards to, ah, take Lord Seán from you.” The guard slid his arms next to Brutus’s, allowing Seán’s weight to shift to his own body. It was a bit of an awkward ordeal, trying to keep Seán’s decency covered, but nothing too major happened. The guard retreated back to stand beside Mark’s throne, trying every bit to look imposing and like the stoic guard he was supposed to be, like he wasn’t cradling a naked man in his arms. Mark turned his attention back to the man who stood unfazed next to his hulking companion.   
“Thank you ambassador for delivering Lord Seán to us safely. It is rather late, would you like to stay for the night and rest, then head back in the morning?” he offered. 

“Thank you your highness for the kind offer, but I’m afraid we will have to decline.” Ní Fíor said politely, “We really should be headed back, Crown Prince Kjellberg will no doubt be waiting for our report.”

Mark nodded, “Of course. Would you like a party to escort you back to the border?” 

The ambassador waved him off, “No, no, we’ll be fine. Again, thank you for the offer.” 

“Okay, then your pass should let you travel safely to the border. Best of luck in your travels, and may peace be upon the forest kingdoms once more.” Mark said firmly. A grin grew across Ní Fíor’s face, nearly disappearing into his mask, but something lurked behind it, neither humor nor well being. 

“Thank you your highness for all your hospitality and for this attempt at peace. I hope we all truly get what comes out of this...transaction.” And just like that, the pair swept out of the room, wind blowing in just before the massive doors clanged shut behind them. Mark’s nose twitched as the scent of the ambassador blew towards him. It smelled of musk and earth, and nothing at all like the scent of the Scáth. Why would he-? 

“My lord? Where would you like him to go?” the guards deep, rumbling voice broke through his thoughts. Oh, right. Mark clambered down from the throne, striding authoritatively out the side door.“This way. I had a room prepared for our...guest.” 

He still couldn’t force himself to say the word “betrothed.” They went silently up a winding staircase, their footsteps echoing loudly around the stone walls. Finally Mark pushed open a door and went inside. He stood in the corner, silent and unmoving, like he was stone, as the guards were trying to maneuver themselves and Seán into the room. Seán’s exposed knee smacked into the door frame with a loud crack, and the guard froze, giving a guilty glance at Mark. He simply rolled his eyes, and tried not to crack a smile at the way the guard slunk into the room after that. 

“W-where would you like me to put him?” he stuttered, clearly embarrassed. 

“Just on the bed is fine.” Mark intoned. They settled Seán’s head upon the pillows, and stood awkwardly off to the side.   
“Clothes.” One of the guards burst out. His companion elbowed him sharply, leaving the other to rub at his know bruised ribs. 

“What I meant to say was, uh, do you want us to get him dressed or anything?” the guard said again. Mark figured the man would not take kindly to being touched at all while naked and unconscious, so he shook his head.

“No, I’ll just leave some clothes out for him. Thank you for your help. You are dismissed.” The guards bowed, letting our sighs they thought he couldn’t hear, and marched out the door as quickly as they could. As soon as the door swung shut behind them, Mark’s posture collapsed in on itself, and let out a heavy sigh of it own. The stress was really getting to him. He flopped down onto the plush chair behind him and flung his elbow across his eyes, relaxing his face from the stoic expression. Mark let his head fall to the side, resting on the pillow. Directly in his line of vision was the slumbering form of Seán. Now he could really study the wolf in peace. 

Seán looked like he was carved of porcelain, his skin was so smooth and pale. He was small and short, shorter even than Mark, who had been teased his whole life about his small stature. Seán wasn’t big or muscled, although he was a far cry from being weak. He was fit in a more thin and wiry short of way. Seán’s face was strangely serene while he slept, it wasn’t a happy expression or a sad one, just a peaceful one. Mark could see the oh so familiar lines of stress carved into Seán’s face, they were the ones he saw every single morning in the mirror. The ones he saw on every face of his generation, the generation of the war. Clearly it had been taking it’s toll on Jack. Hell, he even had gray hairs! Mark’s mind began to wander, his thoughts drifting towards the war and the clans and the convoluted mess that had become of it. Everything had changed so quickly, changes he wasn’t prepared for in the very least. Changes he still wasn’t dealing with. This wasn’t his life. This was never supposed to be his life. 

And with that repeating in his head over and over like a mantra, Mark slowly and unwillingly, forced by his exhausted body, slipped into a light, fitful slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so you know, I have lots of little things hidden in here, but i have no idea if you guys actually notice them. So i'll give you a hint to one in this chapter, look up the translation for the ambassadors name. 
> 
> Also if you haven't realized this is heavily dependent upon Celtic mythology, so those are the deities they worship in here. 
> 
> Again, always looking for a beta/editor. Contact me if you are interested!
> 
> Comments make me so happy to read, just knowing that you guys are interested in something I'm writing, so feel free to type out any message to me, things you like, things you'd like to see more of, things you don't like, things you would like to see less of, tips, things I could do better, point our mistakes, or even just tell me how your day is going. Also please feel free to get on my back about not updating enough, I try but sometimes it's not enough. Anything and everything just makes me so happy. Kudos are appreciated so much as well!! I love all you you who have commented or left kudos, seriously I smile so much when I see them.


	4. Hysteria

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey guys! sorry for the wait

He could feel his body waking up before he did, almost as if he was watching from a distance. It inched its way through his veins, slowly tingling and warming throughout him, but it seemed like an eternity before it finally reached his mind. He struggled towards consciousness, feeling as though he was fighting through water to a surface that was just out of his reach. Finally Jack broke through and woke up. Exhaustion still clung to his mind and limbs, keeping his eyelids feeling like stone. There was no force on earth that could have made him open his eyes. He was just so tired all he wanted to do was roll over and fall right back asleep. So he did, with great effort to shift his body on it's side, he fingers brushing across the top of the silken bedsheets.   
It took a minute for his body to register the tingle of his fingertips and alert his brain. (...silk? He didn’t have any silk on his bed…) Alarm shot through his body, alighting every nerve and shocking him. All exhaustion was shot out of him in an instant, all traces of it gone from his head. He bolted upright with a loud gasp, eyes flying wide open. His gaze darted wildly around the room as his mind reeled, trying to figure where he was. Stone walls enclosed him on all sides, dark wood paneling lining the walls. Torches sputtered on each wall, illuminating the room warm glow. The banners on the wall stood still, showing off their deep scarlet colors and gold embroidery. There were dancing patterns woven all throughout them, and in the center-.   
Suddenly his nose decided to start working and he senses were flooded with the absolutely overwhelming reek of bear. Renewed panic flared up again and he leapt out of the strange bed, feet landing on rug instead of the cold stone he expected. Cool air brushed over his skin...all of his skin. It was at this moment that Jack realised he was completely and utterly naked. However he was rather preoccupied at the moment so it wasn’t the worst of his concerns right now. He saw the form of a man, draped in bear skin, who was laying on the chair wake up and look directly at him. Now Jack was kidnapped, panicked, freezing, naked, and had an audience for it.   
“Where the hell am I?” he growled, his voice dangerously low. “And who the FUCK ARE YOU?” His voice leapt into a yell. “WHERE THE FUCK AM I?” Jack’s’ nerves were beyond shot and with a loud snarl and grabbed his fur off of the bed and leapt for the man, his body melding into those of his wolf’s in midair.  
A booming thud echoed throughout the room and his claws were mere centimetres from the man’s face when something slammed into the side. He and the person went flying sideways, his already battered body smashing into the ground once more. A stone grated harshly against his fur, scraping away layers of hair and skin. A sharp yelp of pain tried to force it's way out of his throat but it bit it back hard, there would be no showing weakness. He scrabbled his claws against the stomach of his attacker, hoping that he would cause some damage, but only hard leather armor scraped against it. He found some purchase there and heaved forward, maw open and teeth flashing. He sank his fangs deep into the man’s shoulder, flesh and muscle giving away beneath the razor sharp teeth. He didn’t stop forcing his jaw down till blood flooded his mouth and he hit bone. The man let out a strangled scream of pain and he began to thrash, clearly trying to escape. The stench of bear was overwhelming his senses and all he could focus on was this man in front of him. The butt of a sword cracked upside his skull and bright colored stars exploded in front of his vision, his ears ringing. His jaw went slack and his legs buckled, sending the ground rushing towards him again. Faintly he could hear movement in front of him but his body was buzzing painfully and he couldn’t move. By the time he could at least move, all he could see was a trail of blood splattered across the floor and a door swinging shut. He let out a cry and leapt forward, limbs transforming back into those of a human’s. His finger’s just finished changing just as they thudded against the door, the wood rough and coarse against his fingers as they slid helplessly against the door. There was a small barred window, just barely big enough for his face and he desperately looked out.   
“YOU’RE GONNA PAY MORE THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE FOR THIS! PRINCE FELIX IS GOING TO TEAR THIS PLACE APART BRICK BY GODDAMN BRICK AND THROAT BY FUCKING THROAT TO FIND ME!” He roared, faltering off as the trio rounded out of his line of view. Defeated, desperate and utterly alone, he backed up against the cold stone wall and curled up into a ball, tears finally escaping from his eyes. 

***  
Mark tried to ignore the faint echoes of Seán’s threats echoing down the hallway, instead focusing all his effort on Tobias. The man was unconscious now from blood loss, despite Tyler’s best efforts of keeping pressure on the wound. Luckily the infirmary was sort of close by, but they had to drag his entire dead weight up the stairs. Looking back, Mark could see the spattered trail of red that had been left behind and let out a sigh. Another task he would have to ask someone to do. Once Tobias had been placed in a bed, Tyler assured Mark that they would be fine and a nurse kindly but firmly ushered him out. So he was back in the hallway, left alone with nothing but the quiet crackle of the torches and his own thoughts. That was certainly dangerous, being alone in his head was the exact thing he wanted to avoid. So he set off at a brisk pace to see one of his advisors, hoping they would tell him what was scheduled so that he could focus on that instead. He pushed open the door to one of their working rooms, their conversation stopping abruptly as they saw who it was.  
“Mark! Hey! I was wondering when you would stop by.” Wade greeted warmly rising from his chair. Mark couldn’t help but smile in relief at seeing his friends. At least something was alright today.   
“Hey guys,” he replied.   
“So what brings you to our humble workspace?” Bob asked.   
“I was just wondering what the schedule looked like today.” Both Wade’s and Bob’s smile tapered off and they exchanged a confused look.  
“Mark, don’t you remember? You specifically cleared today and tomorrow so you could spend some time with the, ah, fiancé.” Mark’s eyebrows knit together,, his mouth turning contemplatively.   
“Huh. I guess I did. Sorry, guess the stress is getting to me.” Wade and Bob exchanged another look, this time of concern. Neither of them wanted to breach the topic that should be discussed and instead turned towards something they thought would distract him.   
“So...what about this new fiancé? I want details!” Wade demanded playfully. Mark winced a little at the word “fiancé” but kept his cool.  
“Okay well you gotta start with a name first.” Bob said, after Mark’s pause.   
Mark huffed through his nose and rolled his eyes, “Well, officially his title is-” Mark assumed a ridiculously haughty expression and accent, “Lord Seán of the Noble House of McLoughlin, of the Scáth Wolf Pack of the North.” Wade and Bob couldn’t keep their snorts of laughter in at that, and even Mark laughed a little.  
“Well it’s certainly a mouthful,” Bob said. “What does he look like?”  
“Well he’s shorter than me, so you two can no longer mock me for being the shortest,” Mark said, sticking out his tongue. The advisors rolled their eyes but didn't respond. “He’s probably about this high,” Mark said, reaching his hand out to indicate, “Brown hair, cut sorta similar to mine. Blue eyes, which I must say is rather unusual. Clean shaven, although maybe that’s all he can grow. Kinda young looking if I’m being honest but who knows. Pale, like super pale, did they not have the sun over where wolves live? Slim, I feel pretty big and bulky around him.” Wade and Bob seemed satisfied with the explanation, clearly mulling over the information.   
“So, what’s he like? Personality and all?” Wade asked.   
Mark gave an involuntary sort of pained smile at that, “Well, about that...He was given some calming medicine for the journey over but had a reaction to it and it caused quite a few side effects.” The looks they were giving him were both confused and concerned so he quickly continued, “Nothing we can’t handle of course, but they were, ah crap they were, aggression, temporary memory loss, and confusion. I think?” I came out less confident than he would have liked and Mark cursed himself under his breath for that.  
“Mark, those sound kind of serious is he alright?” Bob said.   
“Have you talked to him yet?” Wade asked.   
“Um… well you see...he was rather aggressive when he woke up and just sort of screamed questions at me.” Ignoring the expressions of shock and exasperation on their faces, he mused, “Now that I think about it, I don’t believe I ever actually said anything to him.” Bob only groaned and placed his face in his hands.Wade rolled his eyes upwards, throwing his hands up was well,   
“Cernunnos give me strength.” he muttered before turning back to Mark. “Well, that’s is not okay at all. Go talk to him. Now. For Noden’s sake you throw the poor man in a jail cell where he’s suffering from drug induced hysteria and just leave him there!”   
“Probably not the best way to start off your relationship with your betrothed.” Bob added.  
Mark only sighed heavily, slumping his shoulders. “Yeah, you’re probably right…” he grumbled. The two advisors stood up and started shooing him towards the door.   
“Come on, off with you. Go fix things.” Wade said as Mark passed out the doorway.  
“Fine. Bye.” Mark barely had time to get it out before the door was shut in his face. He let out a long suffering sigh and with a roll of his eyes, headed back down the hallway. Mark stood in front of the doorway leading down to where Seán’s room was for a long while, trying to make his frozen legs move. But he couldn’t seem to do it. It was as if every time he even thought about going his body would lose all strength and willpower needed to do it. So after what felt like an eternity, Mark though that Seán probably needed time to calm down and that he should go clear his head. Or that’s what he kept repeating to himself as he headed in the exact opposite direction of the doorway, almost as if he was trying to convince himself of it. His mind wandered off, his body going into autopilot. There were so many things all fighting for his attention, the wolf he was now betrothed to, the war, his people and the toll it had taken on them, the dwindling soldiers and the growing numbers of those wounded all the time. In fact, he was so drawn up in these thoughts he didn’t even realise he had ended up in the arena until he nearly ran into a weapons rack. With a startled look on his face he stumbled back, barely managing to keep himself from falling into the dirt.   
Swordfighting. Perfect. Just the thing to take his mind off of everything. With a flourish he pulled his bearskin from where it was cloaked around his shoulder and tied it around his waist. He tried a few swords, finally selecting one from the rack he had nearly toppled into. The king threw himself into the practice, muscles rolling with every swipe, parry and strike he made. Arms aching and burning as he didn’t stop with attack after attack, leaving burlap sack limbs and straw strewn across the dirt floor in his wake of mannequin carnage. Sweat was pouring freely down his brow, hair slicked to his forehead. He didn’t even move as sweat rolled down his spine, dripping into his eyes and open mouth. His breath was coming hard and labored now, chest heaving to get air into his aching lungs. A clang of metal on metal rang through the arena, echoing off the walls and snapping Mark out of his laser focused concentration. Looking up he saw a sword parrying his own, inches away from the head of the dummy. Following the metal and up the arm that held it his eyes finally alighted on an oh-so-familiar face.   
“Ken,” Mark said breathlessly, his panting mouth breaking into a half smile. Ken’s bearded face split into a grin, mirroring Mark’s own.   
“Figured you could use some help out here in your dummy massacre.” Mark’s smile turned rather sheepish as he finally noticed the mess he had made all over. “But let’s do something more exciting, as fun as mannequin slaughter is.” Ken said, his smile turning a bit into a smirk as he launched himself forward, landing with on four massive paws. Mark let out a whoop and followed suit, calling up his animal form. His limbs lengthened and doubled in size, till he was a bear, his long claws biting into the dirt. And with deafening roars they leapt, claws meeting and bodies churning.   
The remnants of their roars travelled all the way through the castle, till the faint echoes reached the man sitting in pure anguish. And all he could do was let out a single, weak sob.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i just posted a new septiplier story, be sure to check it out! (Also an xmen one too if you're into that) comments and kudos are always appreciated. thanks!

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, yes I know that the people you want in it aren't here yet, just wait, they are coming soon enough. This is just the prologue so be patient, the good stuff is coming up.
> 
> Please feel free to leave a better suggestion for a title, summary and chapter titles. I really am not good at those, if you couldn't tell. 
> 
> Also feel free to ask any clarifying questions or leave suggestions as need
> 
> I'm still pretty unfamiliar with this website, so please forgive me if it gets screwed up at all. 
> 
> I'm looking for someone to be my beta, if you are interested please contact me.
> 
> I would absolutely love it if you would leave kudos and comments. I love it when you guys show support, it just makes me so happy that what i'm doing makes other people happy. 
> 
> I'm going to try and update at least once a week, so if i'm slacking please get on me about it.


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